Justice News

Allen Locke Pleads Not Guilty To Failing To Register As Sex Offender

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Allen Locke, 64, a New Hampshire native who moved to Vermont in early 2013, pleaded not guilty today in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge that he travelled in interstate commerce without updating his registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy released Locke on conditions, which includes house arrest, pending trial. Locke’s trial has not been scheduled.

According to court records, Locke was convicted in New Hampshire in 1984 of aggravated sexual assault. That conviction requires him to register as a sex offender with officials of any state where he resides or to which he moves. In early 2013, after being released from prison in Massachusetts, Locke moved to Vermont. However, he did not register as a sex offender with Vermont officials until late October 2013. Under federal law, when a sex offender moves from one state to another, he has three days to update his registration. On November 7, 2013, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a one-count indictment charging Locke with failing to timely register as a sex offender after moving to Vermont.

The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge against Locke is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.

If convicted, Locke faces up to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Office of Inspector General of the Veterans Administration.

Locke is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.